Meeting the Panther
by HazelLect
Summary: This is a short story I did for a friend on tumblr. Both characters are Oc's


Blue eyes glanced to the female standing before the male. Her body standing about five feet and two inches a little over one foot shorter than he was. Pitch black hair sat on her head clearly not maintained on a regular basis with how messy it was the same color of bangs sitting over the girls right eye. The bangs being the only part of her hair that had been maintained to some degree. Her kimono was short barely stopping above her knees with sleeves that were not attached to the article of clothing gripping on to her small thin arms. The possibility of her falling over did cross his mind with how thin she was. Bold crimson eyes looked to him showing that his thoughts about her thin body were wrong, or so it appeared.

Stubborn and pridefully the girl stood there taking in the Kuchiki clan member as though she too had been taking in his appearance. The clan had been talking about some female his cousin had decided for some unknown reason to help. From what he had heard she was loud and ill mannered only listening to Byakuya on rare occasions. Pitty maybe? That could have been the reason behind his cousin's decision. From what he could tell she had a prideful look about her, but when you looked and took her in with another glance you could see a small frightened child who wore a mask.

"I believe I have overheard members from our clan talk about you. I did not expect you to be so young… No one told me Byakuya had taken in a child." Hidehiro stated noting how the girl looked almost younger than Rukia. What exactly was the young female doing in his work space anyways? If he recalled correctly the young female could not read so the need for her to be in his office was strange.

The female stared at him her eyes almost like daggers. Who did he think he was calling her young? She didn't look like a child did she? With a swift movement she crossed her arms so that they would sit in front of her chest. Observing the man's raven black hair and blue eyes. These nobles really did think highly of themselves. This assumption having crossed her mind after spending so much time with Byakuya.

"Who are you calling a child? I'm just a little bit younger than Byakuya-chan." Her voice was sharp and to the point. The statement almost shocking the noble, and the way she had addressed his cousin did not help the situation either. Even with the sharpness of her voice he could hear a slight playful tone to it one that a child would use.

"Please forgive me I did not intend to offend you. I was not informed of your age." The noble paused for a moment before speaking again. "Do you mind telling me your name?" His voice kept a gentle tone to it despite the response he had just received from her. Despite being curious about why the girl had come to see him, he decided it could wait. The rumors about the girl did make him curious about meeting her. The first month she spent with them was made to where she had minimal contact with people. Apparently she had been so horribly wounded and ill that the worry of her getting worse kept Byakuya on edge when she had arrived. From day one Hidehiro knew there had to be another reason behind his cousins decision, but he never dug into the situation. Though he could see that she the statement about her being sick and wounded was obviously true. Once she had recovered to the point she could move around Byakuya allowed her to stay close to him possibly to make her feel at ease. It was clear from the moment the girl had walked into his own office that she was nervous around people. Even if she held herself with pride it was easy to tell the nervous look that sat behind her mask.

"... My name is Hazel. Why do you want to know?" The question struck him as odd, but he indulged her not minding the careful, and wary attitude. At least that brave act is starting to crack hopefully with a little more talking he could convince her that he was friendly. Something told him she wasn't that hard to befriend.

A sense of ease did brush past the girls shoulders as the male spoke. Most of the time she could read people and tell if they were okay to trust, however even if she could tell how friendly they were. The wall she kept up around her would not go down unless they showed her that they meant no harm.

"It is nice to meet you Hazel." The noble tested the name on his lips finding it a bit odd, but it was a nice name to hear. "You can call me Hidehiro…" His arm moved forward to offer her a handshake thrown off by how quickly Hazel had jumped back in response. _So she was nervous? _He thought letting his eyes soften a bit in an attempt to reassure her of her safety. "You have no reason to be afraid, but can you tell me what it is you need?" His eyes watched carefully as her nervous body moved forward to take his hand. The handshake was gentle but quick however he did feel her once tense body start to relax by the touch they momentarily shared. Her panther like tail moving behind her in a slow and relaxed state proving his assumption.

"...Byakuya-chan is out attending to a meeting for the captains, and I got tired of sitting in his office alone." Her voice had calmed down and gained a more childish tone to it. She became tired of being alone? In other words she had just been walking around looking for someone to speak to while his cousin was out. For a moment he contemplated letting her stay in his office. _What harm could it cause? Despite the work that needs to be done. _Having someone to talk to while he worked didn't seem like too much trouble, and the thought of forcing her to go roam about the estate made him worry about what could happen. Even if she did not seem that horrible as the clan had described her. You can never be too careful about these types of things. _Why does she keep saying Chan? _He asked himself not use to hearing someone address his cousin in such a manner.

"Well then why don't you sit down somewhere? I do not mind having company while I work." To his surprise the female did exactly as told finding a small spot in the corner of the room to sit in. A strange place to sit, but for some reason it did not strike him as odd. Maybe it was from all of the stories from the servants who had crossed paths with the panther like female. Most who were not happy about her need to walk around without shoes leaving a small mess of foot prints for them to clean up from when Hazel walked across the house, or came back inside after being outside doing who knows what in the yard. "You seem obedient for someone who for some strange reason gives my cousin a hard time… Why do you keep calling him Chan?" His eyes were focused on the task he needed to get done. No longer looking at the female as she sat in the corner.

"Why? I don't know it's just the first thing that comes to mind when I say his name… He get's mad when I call him the noble…. then again he also get's mad when I call him Byakuya-Chan, but it's just fun to call him that." The statement almost got a laugh from Hidehiro. Her explanation being more childish than he expected. It almost sounded like she was just expressing her feelings of gratitude the way a young boy would pick on someone he liked. Even if she claimed to be just slightly younger than his cousin the thought of her being a child came to his mind. With a small fight he held back this need to laugh not wanting to offend her.

"I see… Why is it that you do not give anyone else a hard time?" This next question seemed to come out of no where, but he was curious about her decision to give Byakuya a difficult time.

"... I don't know anyone well enough to do that.. Sure I pick on him and frustrate him, but I wouldn't take it to far I know my boundaries… I do not know how far I can or can't take it with other people… I'm not as childish as I appear." Hidehiro paused when hearing this for someone who was uneducated she clearly kept an open mind about things. Blindly charging in and causing a scene was only one side to this female. A smile playing on his lips when he found this connection wanting to ask so many questions that had appeared in his mind.

Almost as if sensing the presence of another the female stood up. Her black panther ears with red on the inside turning to the door a few minutes before his cousin stepped through. It was clear from the start that he was looking for his new companion.

"...I told you to stay in my office, or in your room." The clan leader stated with a sharp glare before looking over to Hidehiro. "If she messed with anything I will replace it." Byakuya explained ignoring his female friend as she took childish strides over to him.

"I didn't do anything Byakuya-chan. We were just talking. I got tired of waiting for you to come back so I decided to make a new friend." That childish tone sat in her voice as she spoke to him. Amusement jumped into her eyes aware that she had caused a sense of annoyance into the male. Hidehiro could see it that she knew what she starting.

"Very well. Feel free to go back to work." Byakuya explained before turning back towards the door in a graceful movement.

"She was no trouble." Hidehiro explained watching the small female turn back towards him and give a small wink. As if to say. _See you around. _This actions pushing a soft smile to his lips before going back to the work that needed to be done.


End file.
